Rising Stars: Meet Lissete Dumas of Northridge, CA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lissete Dumas.

Hi Lissete, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I never imagined I would end up where I am today. Growing up, I wanted to become a children’s social worker because I spent a few years in foster care as a child. That experience deeply shaped me and planted a desire to make a difference in the lives of children and families. I went to college, earned my degree in 2014, and became a children’s social worker.

However, I was quickly faced with the difficult realities of the system; bureaucracy, limitations, and the exhausting cycle many families found themselves in. While I cared deeply about the work, I realized I was struggling within the structure of it. Eventually, I requested a demotion and transitioned into a clerk position in a different department, hoping for a fresh start, but I still felt unfulfilled.

At the same time, I had always carried a desire to build something of my own. Entrepreneurship was familiar to me growing up, my father was an entrepreneur, and many of my aunts were, as well. I always knew I wanted to own a business someday, but I had no idea what that would look like.

In 2019, while planning my firstborn son’s third birthday party, something unexpectedly shifted. I created a dinosaur-themed backdrop and attempted my very first balloon garland. It was incredibly difficult, and far from perfect, but that experience planted a seed I couldn’t ignore.

By 2021, I began creating balloon garlands for close family and friends. Over time, I improved, and word slowly spread. Eventually, people started requesting custom backdrops. At the time, professionally made backdrops were outside of my budget, so I decided to teach myself. I purchased basic tools, attempted to build my first arch, and unexpectedly discovered a love for fabrication, woodworking, and bringing ideas to life with my hands.

Today, I design and build custom backdrops and installations that I never imagined I could create. What started as balloons evolved into something much bigger; a creative outlet that challenged me to trust myself and build skills I didn’t know I had.

Even now, I feel like I’m only scratching the surface. I constantly find myself dreaming up furniture pieces and imagining what else I can create beyond events. I genuinely believe God places ideas, passions, and visions in our hearts for a reason, and it’s our responsibility to pursue them with faith and courage. For me, this journey has been about trusting that pull, even when the path wasn’t clear.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it definitely has not been a smooth road. Like many small business owners, I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way, and I’ve had to learn through experience, sometimes the hard way. Starting a business without formal experience in fabrication, woodworking, or even the event industry meant there was a lot of trial and error. I’ve invested time and money into projects that didn’t go as planned, underestimated costs, overcommitted myself, and learned important lessons about boundaries, pricing, and valuing my work.

One of the biggest challenges has been balancing entrepreneurship while also being a wife and mom to three boys. Running a creative business often means long nights, problem-solving, and constantly wearing multiple hats. There have been moments of self-doubt where I questioned whether I am capable of building what I envisioned.

But every mistake has taught me something valuable. I’ve learned to be resourceful, trust myself more, and embrace the process of figuring things out. Looking back, the struggles have shaped me just as much as the wins. They’ve pushed me to grow not only as a business owner, but as a person.

I still feel like I’m learning every day, but I’ve learned that growth often comes from being willing to try, fail, adjust, and keep going.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
That’s actually a question I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about because I don’t see myself as just a backdrop business. While many people know me for custom backdrops and installations, my work has naturally evolved into something broader. I work with wood fabrication to create custom backdrops, but I’ve also designed signage, props, floral arrangements and custom pieces for events and brands. More recently, I’ve started receiving inquiries from restaurants and businesses to create custom pieces for their spaces, which has been really exciting.

At my core, I think of myself as running a creative studio. I love taking an idea and figuring out how to bring it to life, whether that’s for an event, a business, or eventually even furniture and functional pieces. I rarely turn down opportunities that allow me to create because making things with my hands is where I feel the most fulfilled.

What sets me apart is that I’m not confined to one lane. I’m constantly learning, experimenting, and pushing myself to build things I’ve never made before. I approach projects with both creativity and problem-solving, and I genuinely enjoy the process of turning concepts into something tangible and meaningful.

What I’m most proud of is simply continuing to grow and evolve. Growing up, I never imagined I was creative in the way I am today, and there were many moments where I doubted whether I could actually build a business. But here I am, five years later, still standing, still creating, and still evolving. That, to me, is something I’m incredibly proud of.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I actually don’t have a formal mentor, but I’ve learned that mentorship can look different for everyone. A lot of what I’ve learned has come from being resourceful and staying curious. I listen to podcasts, watch YouTube videos, and spend a lot of time learning through trial and error. When you’re building something creative, especially in a niche space, sometimes you have to become your own student.

What has helped me most, though, is building relationships with a small circle of people in the event industry. I have a few peers I can ask questions, bounce ideas off of, and talk through challenges with. Having people who understand the realities of the industry; whether it’s pricing, difficult projects, or creative problem-solving… has been incredibly valuable.

My advice for networking would be to focus on genuine relationships instead of trying to “network” in the traditional sense. Be open to learning, ask questions, support others, and don’t be afraid to reach out. Sometimes the most valuable connections come from simply being authentic and willing to learn from people who are a few steps ahead of you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://beeceremony.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beeceremonyevents/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/bee-ceremony-northridge